Foundation garment



` Dec. 23, 1941. M, NTHANSON 2,267,212

FQUNDATION GARMENT l. Il

IN VENTOR.'

Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UNITE-D STATESA PATNT OFFICE FOUNDATION GARMEN T Matthew A. Nathanson, Brookline, Mass.

Application November 30, 1939, Serial No. 306,789

v 1 Claim.

The invention relates to foundation garments, such as corsets or the like, of the quick adjustable type employing pullstraps which engage the lacing and by which tension is applied thereto to adjust the garment to v't the wearer.

In such types of garments now in use the lacingis engaged with eyelets carried by the adjacent-edges Tof the body portion of the. garment in a mannerV to provide loops extending from each pair of eyelets.V These loops pass through eyelets carried by buckles attached to the pullstraps which are adapted to be manipulated by the wearer to apply tension to the lacing.

This arrangement is objectionable because the tension of the straps is transmitted directly to all of the lacing-loops thus causing a considerable amount of pressure to be exerted over the entire area adjacent both sides of the laced portion of the garment, there being no provision to disconnect any of the loops from the buckles to ease the pressure at any particular point.

Furthermore such an arrangement is objectionable because of the large cluster of loops employed which not only makes for a cumbersome garment but which necessitates the use of a relatively long lacing as compared with that a structure requiring a relatively short lacing y thus making the garment less cumbersome and more economical to manufacture.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, together with means whereby the latter may be carried into eiect, will be described in the following specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view slightly in perspective, of a garment having a lacing structure embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a diierent adjustment; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 but showing a modified construction.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction and arrangement of the parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, it is to be understood that the terminology employed herein is for the puris not intended to limit the invention beyond the requirements of the prior art.

With reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing, E, E represents the adjacent edge portions of the body of a foundation garment which may be that of a corset, girdle or similar articleof wearing apparel. Each 0f the edge portions E, E, is provided with a series of lacing-engaging devices which` may be eyelets but which, as shown, are preferably in the form of loops attached directly to the outer limits of said edge portions. These series of devices are indicated at I2 and I3 respectively.

The lacing L is engaged with the devices I2 and I3 in a manner to provide a series Avof lmingloops along each'of the edge portions E, E, said lacing-loops being arranged opposite one another in pairs at diierent levels in the garment with each lacing-loop being formed, at least in part, by a portion of said lacing extending directly between two of said devices in either of said edges. In Figs. 1 and 3 certain of said lacing portions are extended as indicated at I4 and I5, while the remainder of said portions, indicated at I6 and I1, are drawn down to their respective devices. The loops I4 and I5 are connected respectively to pullstraps 2D and 2| whereby the garment may be readily and quickly adjusted to t the wearer. The loops I4 and I5 are detachably connected to said straps by means of detachable devices 22 and 23 respectively which may be snap fasteners or any other of various types of detachable devices but which, as shown, are in the form of hooks designed especially to retain the loops yet permit their ready removal for purposes of adjusting the connections of said straps with said lacing to adjust the application of tension to the lacing in a direction lengthwise of the garment. Such an adjustment permits the application of tension to the lacing at diiererent levels in the garment.

Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, the tension resulting from the pull of the straps 20 and 2| is directed to the extreme upper and lower portions of the 7 lacing L with the result that the tension over the area between these portions of the lacing is relieved, at least to a considerable extent. This arrangement is particularly advantageous in surgical cases requiring support for the body of the wearer in general without subjecting the injured parts to pressure set up by the tension of the lacing in addition to that of the garment. In the arrangement of Fig. 1 the injury may be assumed to lie in the area bounded by the loops pose of description and not of limitation, and it 55 J4 and I5 of the lacing.

Furthermore different forms or figures require the application of pressure at different points. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, the tension is applied to the lower portions of the lacing, the straps 20 and 2| being connected with the loops I4 ,|4 and I5, l 5 respectively. This adjustment relieves the upper portions of the garment from the direct pressure of the lacing, which pressure is exerted over the lower portions of the garment. This arrangement is necessary in the case of an obese figure to which it is particularly desirable to apply relatively heavy pressure over the abdominal region.

The arrangement of the present inventionris furthermore of great advantage to the corsetire in adjusting the garment to fit the wearer.

For practical purposes a'prelimi'nar'y fit may be made by attaching the pullstraps to single" loops of the lacing, for example at the top and bottom of the garment as is shown in Fig. 1. With the garment so adjusted it may be' quickly decided where it is desirableY to apply the greatest pressure and the garment then readjus'ted by disengaging said loops from the pullstraps and re'- engaging said straps with the proper portions of the lacing to provide the greatest pressure at the desired level.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modified construction in which the lacing-loops' and the' ends of the pullarranged on the inside of the garment with the manipulative portions of said straps projecting through apertures indicated at 30 and 3|. A shield indicated at 32 serves to cover the parts on the inside of the garment and protect the wearer therefrom.

I claim:

A foundation garment having a series of lacing-engaging devices carried by each of its adjacent edges; alacing engaged with said devices in a manner to provide a series of lacing-loops along each of said edges, said lacing-loops being arranged opposite one another in pairs at different levels in the garment with each lacing-loop being formed, at least in part, by a portion of said lacing extending directly between two of said devices in either of said edges; pullstraps; and detachable connections between said pullstraps and said lacing via the lacing-loops, at least, at one levelA in the garment; said pullstraps being adjustable in one respect whereby, through said connections and their attached lacing-loops, tension may be applied to said lacing to adjustv the garment to t the wearer; said pullstraps being adjustable in another' respect whereby said connections may be detached from the lacing-loops at one level and attached to the lacing-loops at another level to shift the tension applied to said lacing in a direction lengthwisel of the garment.

A. NATHANSON. 

